The Happy Learning Den: 2015

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Winter Break To-Do List

It's the most wonderful time of year!
I have many "exciting" things planned for my winter break this year. I plan on doing all the things that I want to do during the school year that I either don't have time for, or have little or no energy left in order to do them.

Number one on my list: go to the gym every other day. I don't know about you, but during the school year I am lucky if I have enough energy to go once or twice a week. So now I have 2 beautiful weeks to enjoy the gym.

Of course I am going to see my family and my friends.... but it's the gym that I can never seem to make the time for. So really I have one thing on my To-Do List! :-) Not much of a "list," huh?

What are you hoping to accomplish during your break?
The best is yet to come,
Sandra @The Happy Learning Den

Sunday, December 13, 2015

T'was the Week Before Break

T'was the week before winter vacation

and the only thing in my brain

was a message on repeat:

"They're driving me insane!"

Their presents are wrapped.

My grades are all done.

Only one thing stands between now

and two weeks of fun!

Just five days of school

'til our break does arrive.

One little week,

but will I survive?

My lessons are planned

with detail and care.

In hopes that the attention

of my students I will snare.

I picture my students

comfortable in their seats.

They are entirely engrossed

in their academic feats.

When out of my daydream

I did awake,

and returned to reality,

when out in the hallway I heard quite a clatter!

I sprang to my feet

to see what was the matter.

It was the class next door

that caused my heart to go pitter patter!

As I threw open the door,

and raised up my arms,

when what to my startled eyes did appear,

but eight tiny gift bags all in a row.

I knew in my heart

this must be a trick,

all students were in their classrooms,

oh where is St. Nick?

Back into my classroom

I did head,

with a grin on my face

and love in my heart.

To all my friends I wish you a joyous holiday season with your students and your families! May this week be calm and drama-free as you enjoy your winter parties, field trips, assemblies, and anything and everything else that you experience this week.

The best is yet to come!

~Sandra @The Happy Learning Den

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Why do we have to learn this?

Student: "Why do we have to learn this?"
Me: "Because one day in the future you might choose a career that right now you don't see yourself doing."

I have high expectations for all of my students, and while not every student is where they should be academically, I do expect each student to work hard. I expect each student to think about what they are writing, and to make sure their answers "make sense." The assignment that I am sharing with you today came out even better than I expected.

I assigned my students a math and science writing activity. Oh, yes. You read that right... they needed to write in math class! My fifth graders wrote 2-3 paragraphs explaining how they would use math in their future career, and another 2-3 paragraphs explaining how they would also use science in their future careers. It was a lot of fun!

Many of my students were insistent that they wouldn't use science in football, soccer, or basketball. (I have many future NFL, NBA, and World Cup superstars in my class this year!) However, once I kicked, dribbled, and threw my imaginary balls around the class and asked them what I was doing using scientific terminology.... I started hearing works like gravity, force and motion, and friction. Ahhhhhhh, so they do need science to play sports.

Of course I took a few photos of their final assignments to share with you. I hope you enjoy reading them! (Please note, after the photograph of the hallway bulletin board display, I arranged the photos here in a specific order. First is the drawing of the student in his/her future career. Next you will see 2 photographs of the students actual writing.)

Please comment below and let me know what you think. I always enjoy feedback. :)

The best is yet to come!
~Sandra @The Happy Learning Den

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Reasons I'm Thankful

Since Thanksgiving is only two days away, I wish to share a few things for which I am most thankful. I am certainly thankful for more than these things, but these are at the top of my list.

1. I am thankful for my freedom and the amazing men and women who put their lives on the line to protect it.

2. I am thankful for my family! I don't know where I would be without their love and support.

3. I am thankful for my friends! They are my "chosen" family. You know the saying, "you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends!" My friends keep me grounded and help me soar. They laugh when I bump into walls (yes, really!), and kidnap me when I need to escape.

4. I am thankful for my senses!

Sight: Life is vibrant and colorful.
Touch: holding hands with my nieces, nephews, or boyfriend
Hearing: Conversations with family and friends, music, laughter, listening to the wind
Smell: scented candles
Taste: sweet fruits, savory chicken recipes, and of course chocolate!
Common Sense: So thankful I have this. So incredibly thankful that I have been blessed with common sense.

5. I am thankful for my colleagues! They keep me grounded, share my passion for learning and teaching, and many I consider good friends.

6. I am thankful for my cellphone: (Yes, I went there.) It makes it possible for me to keep in touch. (Plus I unwind with a few games.)

7. I am thankful for my books. It was like Christmas/ Hanukah in my classroom today. It was BEAUTIFUL. Students who completed their work on time helped me change out the books in my classroom library with the ones in my closet. Students were asking to borrow books over the Thanksgiving break... I love, love, love that they couldn't wait to read them. A few students asked if they could take their work home to complete over the break so they could sit and read their new book instead. I love that I am able to share my love of reading and am inspiring this year's class to try higher levels and/ or different genres simply because I suggest it.

8. I am thankful for doing work that matters. I live and breathe teaching. I get to work early so that I can not just prepare for the day, but also so that I am finished before students arrive. Often I allow my students into the classroom instead of sitting out in the hallway. By letting them come in early, they can finish their homework, get a little extra help from me before the day starts, help me (boy oh boy do elementary aged students LOVE to help), use the computer-internet based learning programs, talk to me about something that is bothering them, and/ or just come in to get started, etc.

There are only a few times students aren't allowed in before the bell: If I have a conference/ meeting, if I have too much work to do with students in the room (sometimes I just need a little extra quiet time), or if they were in trouble the day before. I have very few behavior problems because most of my students want to come in early.

9. I am thankful you are reading my blog. I am not new to the idea of blogging. I have tried this three other times. However, I never stuck with it. This blog is easy for me to stick to because I am writing about what makes me a happy teacher. Thank you for joining me in this new blogging adventure!

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this post today! I hope you enjoyed it and continue to read and follow my posts. I'd love to read about what you are thankful for in the comments section below.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!

Love to all,

~Sandra @The Happy Learning Den

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Making a Difference one Math Problem at a Time

Being a teacher is hard sometimes, but it is also the greatest privilege. This year I have the honor and privilege of teaching an incredibly funny and hard working group of 5th graders. I strive to make my classroom safe and nurturing, welcoming and challenging. My goal this year is for not only my students to make academic gains, but to also learn the satisfaction of working through a problem and coming to the right answer.

I created "Close Read a Math Problem," because many of my students struggle with solving word problems. There is extra information, not enough information, and/ or multi-step problems for them to decipher. It's not an easy task! The resource I developed has students rereading math problems 4 times, and doing something with the information each time. I have already seen a rise in test scores (the tests are all word problems).

It's not just the test scores that are making me happy though. It's the buy-in I have from students as well. They ask to bring it home with them, and use the sheets in centers too. However, it wasn't until I received a letter from one of my girls last week that I realized what an impact this resource has made.

"11/17/15 Letter

Dear Ms. Dobrin,

I have learned alot in your class. Today I had fun in math with You. I hope you are glad for me to be in your class. I am glad to be in your awsome group. At my old school we didn't go to a differ class but I have fun in math with you. I might don't get good grades in math but what I know is that I will try my very best to earn what I want. My homework for math is getting easier and easier for me. The close read a math word problem sheet helpes me alot in math. Math is my best favorite subject.

Love,"

This is pretty good, but the best is yet to come. :-)

Happy Teaching!

Happy Learning!

~Sandra @The Happy Learning Den

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Meeting the Masters

When I first started teaching, art was a part of elementary students' weekly (if not daily) curriculum. Like most schools, my school faced budget constraints and students don't have art class. However, what we do have are AMAZING parents who come once a month and teach our students about different artists. Last week the 5th graders learned about Michelangelo.

What a great learning activity! They sketched faces and then sculpted the faces out of soap. Yes, you read that correct! Soap! They loved it (and me too). It's a great way to keep art in my school, and I am so happy and grateful that the parents stepped up when they saw that their children were missing out.

Here are the pictures from the Meet the Masters art class last Thursday. Enjoy!

The best is yet to come so be sure to stay tuned for more,
~Sandra
@The Happy Learning Den

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Storybook Character Parade

This year the 4th and 5th grade teachers tackled the Storybook Parade in style- like the teachers in our school do every year! This year we dressed as the characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Our cast of characters included, Charlie, Willy Wonka, Veruca Salt, Nerds, Oompah Loompahs, Everlasting Gobstopper, The Golden Ticket. and Violet Beauregarde. I was one of the Oompah Loompah's.
A little background: students come dressed as their favorite storybook character every Halloween. Parents come and students and teachers parade around the parking lot class by class. It's a lot of fun! Here are the pictures from this year's parade!